Rush Green and South Hornchurch men jailed for roles in drug dealing gang

Corentin (above left) and Jacobs were sentenced yesterday

An RAF Sergeant from South Hornchurch and a pensioner from Rush Green have been jailed after admitting being involved in a drug-dealing gang.

Sgt. David Corentin, 32, Dennis Jacobs, 71, and Jason Warner, 48, from Canvey Island, were involved in supplying cocaine, cannabis, and amphetamines across London and Essex.

They were all identified following an investigation by the National Crime Agency.

John Coles, Head of the Specialist Operations Unit at the NCA, said: “Organised crime groups rely on professional enablers like Corentin, Warner, and Jacobs to supply cocaine and other class A and B drugs across the UK. They are important links in the chain and disrupting their activities is a key priority for the NCA.

“Working with partners, we are stopping the violence and harm drug trafficking fuels, taking away revenue and profits from the criminals who use it to fund other illegal who seek to cause harm in our communities and ensure they face justice.”

The NCA recovered large amounts of cash

Corentin was stopped on the A13 by NCA officers in October 2018, after Warner was seen placing a number of large bags in the 32-year-old’s vehicle.

These were found to contain more than £500,000 in cash.

An encrypted phone was also recovered from Corentin’s vehicle and officers believe this was used to communicate with other members of the organised crime gang to avoid law enforcement detection.

Warner was detained the same month as he left Dennis Jacobs’ property, and found to be in possession of a quantity of cocaine.

Jason Warner was jailed yesterday

Officers searched Jacobs’ flat and found 9.5kg of high-purity cocaine, 1.5kg of MDMA, 11kg of amphetamine and 26kg of cannabis resin with an estimated street value of more than £1million.

Approximately £120,000 in cash was stashed in a safe and various cutting agents and a hydraulic press hidden in the bedroom cupboard were also recovered.

A large amount of amphetamine was seized by investigators

Corentin pleaded guilty to two counts of money laundering and was sentenced to two years and three months in prison.

Warner pleaded guilty to four counts of conspiracy to supply controlled drugs and three counts of money laundering and was sentenced to eight years and four months

Jacobs pleaded guilty to three counts of permitting his premises to be used for the production of a controlled substance and one count of money laundering and was sentenced to 12 months.

All three were sentenced at Kingston Crown Court yesterday.